Ansip: No ‘black and white’ fix to help police crack encryption

European Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip said that EU countries that are targeted by hackers should "should name names if they can". The former Estonian prime minister said that "attribution of blame will deter potential aggressors and increase the chances that those responsible will be made properly accountable." [European Commission]

Andrus Ansip, the EU’s tech policy chief, insisted today that he is against laws that weaken encryption technology, but also that there is no “black and white” solution to help law enforcement authorities access secured data in investigations.

Ansip, a former Estonian prime minister who is now in charge of the European Commission’s flagship digital single market policies, has previously argued against weakening encryption. He rebuffed calls from Europe’s capitals to require so-called backdoors to bypass secured technology following Apple’s drawn-out fight with American investigators over an encrypted iPhone earlier this year.

“Mandatory backdoors, for me, that’s black and white. But the interest of law enforcement, this is not black and white,” Ansip told reporters today (25 November).

The EU digital chief said police should be required to have court approval if they want to demand data that has been sealed up using encryption technology. He also said some politicians’ criticism of encryption is like insisting people communicate with postcards instead of sealed letters.

“When we got letters in envelopes, they didn’t ask us to use postcards,” he said.

Five EU countries said they want the European Commission to propose legislation that would make it easier for police to crack through encryption technology.

Ansip’s comments come as national leaders, led by the German and French interior ministers, are increasing pressure on the EU executive to help law enforcement access encrypted communication. The two ministers recently wrote to the Commission asking for an EU-wide solution that would make it easier for police forces to use encrypted data in investigations.

Justice and interior ministers from EU countries will reportedly discuss encryption at a meeting in early December.

Croatia, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Latvia have signalled that they want the Commission to propose new legislation that would make it easier to crack through encryption, as euractiv.com reported earlier this week. Several countries said they want the Commission to help national governments whose law enforcement authorities lack the skills to access data on mobile phones or computers if it’s encrypted.

Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière is leading calls for EU action on encryption, but his ministry has insisted it does not want to force companies to create loopholes that would allow authorities to access encrypted data.

Ansip told reporters today that he is against forcing firms to create backdoors because it would weaken security and even make some technologies, like self-driving cars, dangerous to use.

“Sooner or later if we have backdoors, somebody will misuse these backdoors,” Ansip said.

Exclusive / European Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip supports Apple’s decision to refuse unblocking the iPhone of a terrorist, as requested by US authorities.

Background

Several EU politicians have called for technology companies to create backdoors to encrypted communication systems for law enforcement agencies. Calls for encryption backdoors were reignited after terrorist attacks in Paris last November.

Apple has been embroiled in a weeks-long battle over encryption with the US government after the FBI demanded access to encrypted data on an iPhone that belonged to a suspect in the shootings last December in San Bernardino, California. On 28 March, US authorities dropped a legal case against Apple after the FBI announced it was able to access the data on the iPhone.

EURACTIV's editorial content is independent from the views of our sponsors.

Media is a pillar of democracy – as long as it can function properly. Now more than ever we need unbiased, expert information on how and why the European Union functions. This information should not be behind a paywall, and we remain committed to providing our content for free.

We know our readers value our reporting. We know journalism that covers the EU in a clear, unbiased way is critical to the future of the European Union. And we know your support is critical for ensuring this independent and free journalism.

Don’t take the media sector for granted. It was already fragile before the coronavirus pandemic. And as people can’t meet, media companies have lost a major source of revenue: events. EURACTIV is supported by a mix of revenue streams including sponsorships, online advertising, EU-funded projects, and policy debates. All of these sources of revenue are impacted by the current crisis.

While media struggles, disinformation thrives. We are already seeing fearmongering, fake news about the EU response, and increased threats to freedom of the press.

For more than two decades we have provided free, independent, multilingual reporting on the European Union. We continue to believe in Europe, and we hope you do too.

Your financial support at this critical time will allow our network of newsrooms across Europe to continue their work when Europe needs it most.

Advertisement

Comments

One response to “Ansip: No ‘black and white’ fix to help police crack encryption”

The entire encryption debate is black & white.
Multiple governments around the world are asking the impossible. Its not called encryption if theres a 3rd access point. Its called bad security. Building any type of “encryption” with any type of back door or other methods defined by the state is not encryption or even basic security. This is the equivalent of locking your front door but leaving the key in the lock. Yes its locked but all a thief/hacker has to do is turn the key.

Are these psychopaths that are running the world that completely clueless as not to understand the basics of encryption and or math?

Contribute to our reporting

The need for fast, accurate and balanced information is always important. We value EURACTIV's good, independent journalism and support this initiative

Mella Frewen, Director General of FoodDrinkEurope

EURACTIV plays a vital role in bringing Europe closer to its citizens. EURACTIV has long recognised that the story of Europe has to be told across the continent, and not just in Brussels. We need to support a truly European and informed debate.